I did it. I finally saved up enough Honor to buy the Thalassian Competitor’s Cloth Helm pattern. For a second I actually felt responsible… like a real adult who has their shit together.
I spent the next several hours running back and forth between the Auction House and my tailoring bench. Comparing prices on every single material. Scribbling numbers on scraps of parchment. Overthinking every thread and prices down to the silver until my head hurt.
I bought the Thalassian Missive. But somehow went with the Silver one. I gathered everything. Sat down at the table. Crafted the helm with this stupid little spark of pride. When it finally appeared in my hands I just stared at it.
Only ilvl 242. Why tf wasn’t it 246?!?!
It hit me like a kick to the stomach. My chest actually tightened and for a second I felt like I couldn’t breathe. The whole world kind of crumbled right there in front of me. I wanted to shrink into nothing and crawl under the nearest rock. Just disappear so nobody could see what a complete idiot I am.
I looked closer and realized I never used Concentration on the craft. I had some saved up but I was so focused on not messing up the recipe that I completely forgot to activate it. That extra push is what gets the higher quality. It was right there the whole time.
Classic me.
Abeke is never going to let me live this down. She’s going to call me Silver Helm Sahsha until the end of time. I can already hear her laughing.
Lesson learned. Painfully.
Next time I’m using Concentration even if I’m nervous about wasting it. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll stop overthinking long enough to actually remember the important parts. Maybe?! Maybe.
~Sahsha
(Tailor, Healer, Professional Self-Saboteur)